The Way of Seeming
by Eliza Guerin
Summary: After ATY. Sydney appears on her doorstep.... Completed
1. Homecoming

The way of Seeming  
  
  
  
  
I own nothing. All character's belong to someone with much more money than me.   
  
  
  
  
Author's note: This is the (hopefully) fully corrected version. If you find ANY mistakes PLEASE leave me a review   
saying where. I was reading this story over and the number of mistakes I found drove me INSANE!  
  
  
  
........And now it begins.  
  
Don't forget to review. They make me happy. :)   
  
************  
  
Francie and Will walked up the pathway to the house slowly, Francie examining his   
  
swollen jaw and black eye.   
  
  
  
"I can't believe you got mugged. Only you would wander around the bad part of town   
  
in the middle of the night. I mean, jeez Will, no story is that amazing."  
  
  
  
"I know," Will winced pulling away from her and pointedly looking at the ground,   
  
"No story is worth this. I got it."  
  
  
  
Francie sighed at him as they neared the door. "We should have some ice for your   
  
face-," she stopped and gasped as she tripped over something in front of the door. Will   
  
grabbed her by the arm and held her up while she regained her balance.   
  
  
  
They looked down at the ground, seeing a figure lying in front of the door, unmoving.   
  
"Oh my god," Francie whispered.   
  
  
  
She leaned down and pulled on the figure's shoulder, turning them over. The porch   
  
light shone onto the face on the ground and Francie's eyes grew wide. "Sydney?!"  
  
  
  
  
Will stood there unmoving as he took in the blue hair and the revealing leather   
  
clothing before his eyes moved on, registering the bruises and the cuts marring her   
  
previously perfect skin. Will knelt down, his arms shaking violently as he felt for a pulse.   
  
It was there, but weak, so weak. Her breathing was shallow and irregular.   
  
  
  
"Call an ambulance Francie," Will choked out as he tried to come up with a scenario   
  
that had him waking up very soon from a horrible dream brought on by sausage and   
  
pineapple pizza eaten at two o'clock in the morning.  
  
  
  
Vaguely he heard Francie's panicked voice speaking to the operator as he gently   
  
brushed the blue hair off of her face, the tears slipping down his cheeks at the sight of the   
  
prominent bruise covering most of the right side of her face.   
  
  
  
He felt arms pulling at him and he fought back. They wouldn't take Sydney from him,   
  
he'd protect her.   
  
  
He heard Francie's voice in his ear as he snapped back into reality, finally seeing the   
  
flashing lights of the ambulance and the paramedics trying to move him out of the way.   
  
He let himself be guided without resistance and he found himself clinging to Francie with   
  
all the strength he had left, feeling her tears soaking into his shirt.  
  
  
  
As they lifted her onto a gurney and rolled her towards the street he caught a glimpse of   
  
her arm, the small red holes burning into his vision and snapping his mind back into   
  
reality.  
  
  
  
  
"Come on," he whispered to Francie, "We have to get to the hospital."  
  
  
  
She nodded and they walked towards her car, his eyes focused on the ambulance   
  
disappearing around the corner and the police that swarmed over the lawn.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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	2. Hospital

The way of Seeming  
  
  
  
I own nothing. All character's belong to someone with much more money than me.   
  
  
  
Author's note: This is the (hopefully) fully corrected version.   
If you find ANY mistakes PLEASE leave me a review saying where.   
I was reading this story over and the number of mistakes I found drove me INSANE!  
  
  
  
........And now it begins.  
  
Don't forget to review. They make me happy. :)   
  
  
  
  
  
************  
  
  
The sterile white hallways were filled with the muffled sounds of doctors shouting to   
  
  
each other, each endeavoring to be heard over the beeps and hums of various machines.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Will hated hospitals. It smelled like antiseptic and Jell-O, and they were entirely to   
  
  
form-happy. If they could they would make you fill out a form to get one of those   
  
  
horrendous stereotypical cups of the liquid that the hospital had the nerve to call coffee.  
  
  
  
  
  
Will didn't need any coffee at the moment. If he were any more jittery he wouldn't   
  
  
have the self-control needed to keep himself from killing the nurse that stood in front of   
  
  
him at that moment. "Look," he said with an exasperated gasp, "I just want to find out   
  
  
how my friend is. She was just brought in and-" The nurse cut him off just as he began to   
  
  
break down again.  
  
  
  
  
  
"I told you that I can only release information on patients to an immediate family   
  
  
member."  
  
  
  
  
  
Finally Will's brain started working again, and he realized that he hadn't even thought   
  
  
to call Jack. He needed to know what was happening. He'd know what to do. Will turned   
  
  
away from the nurse without a word and stumbled towards the phones, bypassing the   
  
  
waiting room where Francie was still slumped in the chair she had fallen into when they   
  
  
had arrived.   
  
  
  
  
  
Will stared at the key pad banging the phone into his head as he mumbled to himself.   
  
  
"Number, number, what the hell is his phone number?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"If you continue to hit yourself in the head with that phone there could be brain   
  
  
damage."  
  
  
  
  
"Who asked you buddy?" Will slammed the phone down and spun around to face-   
  
  
Jack Bristow. "What are you doing here?"  
  
  
  
  
  
Jack's demeanor didn't change. "I got a call. It was a bad connection. Something   
  
  
about St. Mary's hospital, so here I am. What are you doing here?"  
  
  
  
  
  
Will's mouth opened and closed but nothing came out.   
  
  
  
  
Jack's bland face slipped away leaving a concerned expression behind. "What's   
  
  
wrong? Is it Sydney?"  
  
  
  
  
The tears slipped unbidden to his eyes as he saw the scene flash in his mind once   
  
  
again.  
  
  
  
  
He took a deep shuddering breath, "We- Francie and I- came home- back to their   
  
  
place- Oh God. She was just lying there. So still. Her hair was in her face, blue hair.   
  
  
Sydney doesn't have blue hair. It's not Sydney, it can't be Sydney." Will dissolved into   
  
  
incoherent babbling as he slipped down the wall, staring straight ahead, eyes unseeing.   
  
  
  
  
  
Jack's eyes widened as he took in the babbling reporter. He spun around and headed at   
  
  
a brisk pace towards the nurse's station.   
  
  
  
  
The same rotund nurse that seems to work at every hospital in the world turned around   
  
  
and flashed him a smile. "Can I help you sir?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"I'm looking for my daughter. Her friends said she was brought in here."  
  
  
  
  
"Her name?"  
  
  
  
  
"Sydney Bristow."  
  
  
  
  
"Let me check."   
  
  
  
  
He had to stop himself as he noticed his fingers drumming on the desk as she typed   
  
  
away at her computer. He was sure he could do it faster if she'd just get her pudgy little   
  
  
fingers off the keys-"  
  
  
  
  
"Here we are. Sydney Bristow. She was admitted about an hour ago. There's no status   
  
  
listed. The doctors must be still evaluating her."  
  
  
  
  
"Can I see her?"  
  
  
  
  
"I'm afraid that won't be possible until the doctors are through with their   
  
  
examination."  
  
  
  
  
"If she's been here for an hour don't you think they should be done by now?" he said   
  
  
through clenched teeth.  
  
  
  
  
The nurse got an annoyed look on her face. "I am sure that the doctors are working as   
  
  
quickly as they can. If you will go have a seat in the waiting room I can have the doctor   
  
  
see you as soon as there's any news."  
  
  
  
  
Her expression left no room for argument and Jack was suddenly to tired to try. What   
  
  
had happened to Sydney? She'd been missing for over a week and then suddenly she   
  
  
shows up on her front porch. And from Will's reaction she wasn't in good shape.   
  
  
Khasinau must have captured her. There had been no word from her or Mr. Vaughn. God   
  
  
knows what happened to him.   
  
  
  
  
Jack walked up to the phones and saw Will still sitting there. He'd never been good at   
  
  
the whole comforting thing. He walked over, pulled Will to his feet, and led him into the   
  
  
waiting room. In the far corner was Sydney's other friend. What was her name?   
  
  
Francesca, Frannie, Francie! That was it. Unfortunately, she seemed to be in near the   
  
  
same condition as Will. He set Will down next to Francie and stood there looking at   
  
  
them. Sydney must have been- No! They were civilians. Untrained, useless civilians that   
  
  
couldn't possibly tell the difference between minor injuries that just looked bad and ones   
  
  
that were- bad.  
  
  
  
  
  
Jack carefully sat down in a chair across from the two most important people in   
  
  
Sydney's life and slowly looked around the room. He counted at least two men from   
  
  
security section. They must have been the ones to call him.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Note to self, he thought, mention to Sloane the need for better cell phones for security   
  
  
section.   
  
  
  
  
He stood up and walked past the nearest one, nodding to him, as he continued walking   
  
  
towards the stairwell. A moment later he heard footsteps behind him. He entered the   
  
  
stairwell side by side with the man, neither speaking. As the door clanged shut Jack   
  
  
turned to the man. "What happened?"  
  
  
  
  
  
The man looked at him suspiciously for a moment before speaking. "We lost track of   
  
  
your daughter a week ago. Sloane ordered us to watch the house until she returned. I left   
  
  
the car for ten minutes to get a drink. When I came back there was someone on the front   
  
  
porch. Before I could investigate Miss Bristow's roommate and Mr. Tippin returned. By   
  
  
their reaction I deduced it was Miss Bristow and placed a call to you and Sloane."  
  
  
  
  
Jack winced inwardly. Sloane knew where Sydney was, and too many people at SD-6   
  
  
seemed to know exactly who Will was.   
  
  
  
  
"Her condition?"  
  
  
  
  
"Unknown. The doctor's have yet to release anything."  
  
  
  
  
Jack nodded and left the stairwell, pleased to note that the man did not follow directly   
  
  
behind him. He grabbed three cups of that horrible hospital coffee and headed back   
  
  
towards the waiting room. He sat back down in the same seat, placing his cup on the table   
  
  
in front of him and handing the cups to Will and Francie who seemed to come back to   
  
  
reality as the smell from the coffee penetrated their brains.   
  
  
  
  
Francie accepted the cup and took a hesitant sip. "Thank you." Jack nodded and sat   
  
  
back to drink his. Not the worst he had ever had. Definitely better than the stuff they   
  
  
served in Cuba.   
  
  
  
  
Francie sat there watching him as he drank the coffee, unable to find any emotion   
  
  
portrayed on his face she finally came right out and asked, "Any word?"  
  
  
  
  
Jack set down his coffee and sighed. "Not yet."  
  
  
  
  
Francie sat back, coffee forgotten on the table beside his.   
  
  
  
  
Will downed his cup in one gulp and reached for hers.   
  
  
  
  
Seeing his hands shaking Jack reached out to stop him. "You don't need anymore   
  
  
caffeine Will. I heard it can interact with other medications and cause them to stop   
  
  
working." he said, silently telling him that any more coffee would cause all the pain   
  
  
killers he was on to stop working. Or at the least all his jittery motions would cause him   
  
  
to smack one of his many bruises against something.   
  
  
  
  
Will apparently got the message because he left the coffee where it was and sat back   
  
  
in his chair.   
  
  
  
  
"Mr. Bristow?"  
  
  
  
  
Jack turned around to see a tall man in a white lab coat standing by the door to the   
  
  
waiting room with a clip board.   
  
  
  
  
Jack, Will, and Francie all stood up and looked at him. Jack walked towards him, the   
  
  
other two following close behind.   
  
  
  
  
The doctor looked skeptical as the three moved toward him. "Mr. Bristow, I would   
  
  
like to talk to you alone,"  
  
  
  
  
Jack turned around, saw the devastated expressions on their faces, and turned back to   
  
  
the doctor. "No. They deserve to know just as much as I do."  
  
  
  
  
The doctor sighed and began to walk down the hallway, gesturing for them to follow.   
  
  
Will, with a grateful look in his eye, grabbed Francie by the arm and they walked towards   
  
  
the doctor, now standing at the door to his office. Taking a deep breath Jack followed   
  
  
them into the room, shutting the door behind him.  
  
  
  
  
  
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	3. Past transgressions revealed

The Way of Seeming  
  
  
  
  
  
  
I own nothing. All character's belong to someone with much more money than me.   
  
  
Author's note: This is the (hopefully) fully corrected version.   
If you find ANY mistakes PLEASE leave me a review saying where.   
I was reading this story over and the number of mistakes I found drove me INSANE!  
  
  
  
........And now it begins.  
  
  
  
  
Don't forget to review. They make me happy. :)   
  
  
  
  
  
************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The silence in the room was immense. As he sat there Will could see the doctor   
  
  
preparing himself. This was in no way good news.  
  
  
  
  
  
The doctor looked up at Jack and sighed. "I wish we didn't always have to meet like   
  
  
this Jack."  
  
  
  
  
  
The ghost of a smile appeared on Jack's lips. "There is no other way for us, for me.   
  
  
You know that."  
  
  
  
  
  
"I know."  
  
  
  
  
Before Will or Francie ask any questions the doctor continued.   
  
  
  
  
  
"She has three broken ribs, two bruised ones, bruises, cuts, and abrasions to numerous   
  
  
to count. We believe she has a mild concussion, probably resulting from the same trauma   
  
  
that cause the bump on the back of her head. All of that workable, nothing overly serious.   
  
  
The problem that we are seeing is the needle marks."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Jack's eyes snapped open. "What kind of needle marks?"  
  
  
  
  
  
The doctor looked nervous then sighed. "A lot of them. The ones we're particularly   
  
  
worried about are the two in her neck. The residue from one has been confirmed as a   
  
  
sedative. And a damn powerful one at that. We think that's why she's still out. She's   
  
  
been unconscious for at least a day. We've got her on IV's to keep her glucose levels up   
  
  
and to try and balance out her blood chemistry."  
  
  
  
  
  
"What was the other one?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"We don't know. The guys at the lab are stumped. Our CIA guy says he's seen it but   
  
  
he refuses to say where or what it does."  
  
  
  
  
  
He folded up a piece of paper and handed it to Jack who slipped it into his jacket   
  
  
pocket.  
  
  
  
  
  
The doctor picked up his clipboard, but before he could speak Francie broke in.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Are you trying to tell me that Sydney did drugs?! Because I'm telling you right now   
  
  
that she wouldn't- she couldn't- do that to herself."  
  
  
  
  
  
"We don't know whether she did it to herself or it was done to her. The marks are   
  
  
inconclusive. It would help if we knew where she's been for the last week," he glanced   
  
  
quickly at Jack, "but that's probably a mystery that will go unsolved."  
  
  
  
  
  
Francie looked incredulous. "She was going on a business trip to San Diego."  
  
  
  
  
  
The Doctor looked straight into her eyes. "I see." He wrote something down on his   
  
  
chart. "That's good to know."  
  
  
  
  
  
Jack broke in before the tension could become any heavier. "What about the other   
  
  
needle marks? Do you know what was in them?"   
  
  
  
  
  
The doctor flipped through the pages on his clipboard. "Heroine, cocaine, and   
  
  
amphetamines are the ones we have been able to identify. There are also some hybrid   
  
  
drugs unlike anything we've ever seen. One seems to have an extasy-like effect, but we   
  
  
have no idea about the others."  
  
  
  
  
  
"How many?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"We've been able to separate a number of drugs, but others have broken down to far   
  
  
for us to-"  
  
  
  
  
  
"How many?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"The two in her neck, and six in each arm."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Withdrawal?"  
  
  
  
  
  
The doctor rubbed his hand against his forehead. "Once she wakes up it's gonna be a   
  
  
bitch. Worse than before." He took at deep breath and glanced at Francie and Will   
  
  
quickly before turning back to Jack and continuing. "I know your reservations last time,   
  
  
but now she's an adult and she's responsible for her own actions. She'll be better off in a   
  
  
detox center than anywhere else."  
  
  
  
  
  
"No. There are even more reasons against it now. That's not an option at this point."   
  
  
Jack jumped to his feet and walked towards the door. "She has to be under constant   
  
  
supervision." He spun around to face him again. "I want to see her."  
  
  
  
  
  
The doctor stood up. "She's in ICU. Her vitals are still fluctuating. No visitors. I'm   
  
  
sorry."  
  
  
  
  
  
"How long before she's out?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"We don't know how much sedative she was giving or how strong it was. There's   
  
  
really no way to know when she'll wake up. However, as soon as her vitals are stable   
  
  
she'll be moved out of ICU. Then she can have visitors. Even if she's still out."   
  
  
  
  
  
Jack nodded.   
  
  
  
  
  
He stood up and shook the doctor's hand. "Thanks Matthew. You have my cell   
  
  
number?"  
  
  
  
  
  
He nodded. "I'll call you as soon as there's news."  
  
  
  
  
  
Jack walked out with Will and Francie following close behind.  
  
  
  
  
  
Will couldn't take it anymore. He grabbed Jack by the shoulder and turned him   
  
  
around. "That's it?! You're just going to leave her here? And what the hell did he mean   
  
  
'worse than before'?"  
  
  
  
  
  
Jack pulled away and walked to his car. As he opened the door he called back over his   
  
  
shoulder. "It's none of your concern." He got in and started the engine. "And you don't   
  
  
want to know," he muttered as he pulled away, leaving two very confused people   
  
  
standing by the entrance.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Review, review, review. Reviews are equivalent to the elixir of life. 


	4. Awakening

The Way of Seeming  
  
  
  
  
  
I own nothing. All character's belong to someone with much more money   
than me.   
  
  
Author's note: This is the (hopefully) fully corrected version.   
If you find ANY mistakes PLEASE leave me a review saying where.   
I was reading this story over and the number of mistakes I found drove me INSANE!  
  
  
  
........And now it begins.  
  
  
  
  
Don't forget to review. They make me happy. :)   
  
  
************   
  
  
  
A thick cloud of haze had settled in her head. As she tried to pull herself out of it   
  
  
she discovered she couldn't move. Something, or someone, was holding her down. She   
  
  
had to get out, had to escape. She began to struggle when she felt more hands holding her   
  
  
down. The noise began to penetrate the room, beeping, yelling, paniced voices. She must   
  
  
be close to getting free.  
  
  
  
  
  
She heard a whisper close to her ear. "You'll never escape me my daughter. I'm   
  
  
part of you."   
  
  
  
  
  
She let out an ear piercing scream and all the commotion seemed to stop. Her eyes   
  
  
snapped open and she took in her surroundings. She was in a hospital, doctors and nurses   
  
  
surrounding her. The shrill beeping was emminating from the heart monitor, currently   
  
  
showing a flatline. She looked down and saw the electrodes dangling near her; they must   
  
  
have come off with all her squirming.  
  
  
  
  
  
Her wrists and ankles were strapped to the bed, explaining why she couldn't   
  
  
move.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sydney. Sydney look at me."  
  
  
  
  
  
She looked up and saw Dr. Lewis standing over her. He smiled. "That's good.   
  
  
Do you know who I am?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sydney fell back onto the bed. "Who he was?" she thought, "How could she   
  
  
ever forget him?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sydney?" His concerned voice broke through her memories.   
  
  
  
  
  
"Matthew," she croaked out, her throat raw as if she had spent a great deal of   
  
  
time screaming.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Good. That's good. How are you feeling?"  
  
  
  
  
  
She opened her eyes to glare at him. But snapped them shut when the light hit   
  
  
them, seemingly a thousand times brighter than before.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Turn down the lights." She heard him say, his voice like an icepick in her   
  
  
brain. "Have her moved to a room in the detox wing immediately."  
  
  
  
  
  
Detox! A part of Sydeny's brain screamed that was still functioning screamed.   
  
  
  
  
No!  
  
  
  
  
  
She tried to fight back but the haze reclaimed her mind, pulling her back down   
  
  
into the dark abyss of unconsciousness.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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	5. Mistrust

The Way of Seeming  
  
  
  
  
  
I own nothing. All character's belong to someone with much more money   
than me.   
  
  
  
  
Author's note: This is the (hopefully) fully corrected version.   
If you find ANY mistakes PLEASE leave me a review saying where.   
I was reading this story over and the number of mistakes I found drove me INSANE!  
  
  
  
........And now it begins.  
  
  
  
  
Don't forget to review. They make me happy. :)   
  
  
  
  
************  
  
  
  
Dr. Lewis emerged form the room, slowly shutting the door behind him. He had   
  
  
been right, the mix of drugs in her system was just now hitting her.  
  
  
He couldn't contact Jack now. He had to wait until all the paperwork was done.   
  
  
After that Sydney would be in detox under suicide watch. Once the papers were filed he   
  
  
wouldn't be able to get her out. She obviously hadn't learned her lesson the first time.   
  
  
This time, the message would be clearer.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Is Sydney awake?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"How is she?"  
  
  
  
  
  
As he stepped out into the public area of the hospital he was confronted by   
  
  
Sydney's two panicked friends.   
  
  
  
  
  
There was no way they were going to accept vague answers at this point. "She's   
  
  
awake. We're moving her to another room. Once she's settled in you can see her."  
  
  
  
  
  
The two hugged, tears streaming down the girl's face. The man turned to him.   
  
  
  
  
"Does Jack know?"  
  
  
  
  
  
Dr. Lewis took a long look at the man. If he was half as gullible as he looked-   
  
  
"Yes. I just called him. Unfortunately, his work at the factory has delayed him and he   
  
  
  
won't be able to be here for a few hours."  
  
  
  
  
  
Will looked at him for a moment, then smiled. "OK. Thanks."  
  
  
  
  
  
He took Francie by the arm and led her back to the waiting room. Dr. Lewis   
  
  
waited until he saw they were seated and then returned to his office.   
  
  
  
  
  
Francie stared at Will as he sat down next to her. "Something's wrong," he   
  
  
whispered in her ear.  
  
  
  
  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"He said 'His work at the factory delayed him.' Jack doesn't work at the factory   
  
  
anymore, he works at the bank remember?"  
  
  
  
  
  
Francie scrunched up her forehead. "What does that mean?"  
  
  
  
  
  
Will glanced into the hallway suspiciously as he stood up and moved towards the   
  
  
phones. "It means he never called Jack. Something's up."  
  
  
  
  
  
Will quickly walked to the phones as he pulled the card out of his pocket that he   
  
  
had discovered while trying to keep his hands busy. Jack's cell number.  
  
  
  
  
  
He shifted from foot to foot impatiently as he waited for someone to pick up.   
  
  
  
  
  
"Hello?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Jack, it's Will. Sydney's awake. And something's wrong."  
  
  
  
  
  
"What? Does she have amnesia? Or depression? Or nightmares?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Did Dr. Lewis call you?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"What? Of course not. Don't you think I'd be there if he had?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"He said he had called you, but that your work at the factory had delayed you and   
  
  
you couldn't get here for a few hours."  
  
  
  
  
  
There was dead silence on the other end of the line. "I'll be right there. Do   
  
  
nothing. Do you hear me?"  
  
  
  
  
  
Will bit his lip as he saw Dr. Lewis emerging from his office. "Yeah. Gotta go.   
  
  
Bye." He hung up the phone and hurried over to the waiting room.  
  
  
  
  
  
He took Francie's hand as he sat back down. "He's coming. Everything is going to   
  
  
be fine."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Review, Review, Review. Fanfiction verses making my hair blue. Help me make the right choice. 


	6. The calm before the storm

The Way of Seeming  
  
  
  
I own nothing. All character's belong to someone with much more money   
than me.   
  
  
  
  
  
Author's note: This is the (hopefully) fully corrected version.   
If you find ANY mistakes PLEASE leave me a review saying where.   
I was reading this story over and the number of mistakes I found drove me INSANE!  
  
  
  
  
  
........And now it begins.  
  
  
  
  
  
Don't forget to review. They make me happy. :)   
  
  
  
  
***********  
  
  
  
  
Jack strode in through the hospital doors, a determined look on his normally   
  
  
  
emotionless face. He saw Dr. Lewis talking amiably to one of the nurses at the front desk.   
  
  
  
He spun him around, grabbed him by the collar of his lab coat, and slammed him against   
  
  
  
the nearest wall.   
  
  
  
  
  
"Jack, What the hell are you doing?!"  
  
  
  
  
  
"I came to see my daughter, in a NORMAL hospital room, with no white padded   
  
  
  
walls or mandatory security cameras."  
  
  
  
  
Dr. Lewis blanched at the look in his eyes, but calmed as he saw security guards   
  
  
  
entering the room from every door. He cleared his throat and said in a clear and normal   
  
  
  
voice, "Your daughter tried to kill herself with an overdose of at least four injectable   
  
  
  
narcotics. I can not simply allow her to remain unguarded as the psychological evaluation   
  
  
  
indicated that given her past record she is likely to try to kill herself again if left to her   
  
  
  
own devices."  
  
  
  
  
Will pushes through the crowd growing around the two men, ignoring the glares   
  
  
  
from the security guards. "You mean Sydney beat herself up, broke three of her own ribs,   
  
  
  
and then injected two needles into the back of her neck? Wow, I mean even you have to   
  
  
  
admit that's pretty amazing for a banker. But then, I bet she does Yoga. Don't you   
  
  
  
think?"  
  
  
  
  
Dr. Lewis was beginning to look nervous. "Well, I.I."  
  
  
  
  
Jack let go of him and stepped back, his usual emotionless mask slipping back   
  
  
  
into place. "And I'm sure you'll have plenty of evidence for the suit I'll file against you   
  
  
  
for taking action against an unconscious patient without notifying or consulting her next of   
  
  
  
kin. And of course you'll be able to explain how you performed a psychological examination   
  
  
on someone who has yet to regain consciousness. "  
  
  
  
  
Dr. Lewis blanched.  
  
  
  
  
Jack saw this and allowed a small smile to grace his lips. "I believe you were   
  
  
  
saying something about transferring Sydney to another room."  
  
  
  
  
He cleared his throat. "Yes," he said bitterly. He turned to the nurse, "Make the   
  
  
  
necessary adjustments to Miss Bristow's file." The nurse nodded and started typing on   
  
  
  
her computer.   
  
  
  
  
The security guards broke up the crowd and Will, Francie, and Jack were left   
  
  
  
alone in the room with Dr. Lewis and the otherwise occupied nurse.   
  
  
  
  
Jack leaned over to him and whispered, "You try something like that again and   
  
  
  
they'll never find your body."  
  
  
  
  
Dr. Lewis nodded and walked back into the hospital towards his office.   
  
  
  
  
"Mr. Bristow?"  
  
  
  
  
Jack turned around to see the nurse beckoning to him. He walked over with   
  
  
  
Francie and Will close behind him whispering to each other. "Yes?"  
  
  
  
  
The nurse smiled. "Sydney was in the process of being moved to another room   
  
  
  
already, so I put in a call and changed the room. She's getting settled right now, so you   
  
  
  
three can head up and see her right away."  
  
  
  
  
Jack smiled as he got the room number from the nurse and headed to the   
  
  
  
elevators.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Review, Review, Review. Do I need another reason why? Ok then. Ummmmmmmm...Because reviews are better than sex? 


	7. Fear

The Way of Seeming  
  
  
  
  
I own nothing. All character's belong to someone with much more money   
than me.  
  
  
  
  
  
Author's note: This is the (hopefully) fully corrected version.   
If you find ANY mistakes PLEASE leave me a review saying where.   
I was reading this story over and the number of mistakes I found drove me INSANE!  
  
  
  
  
  
........And now it begins.  
  
  
  
  
  
Don't forget to review. They make me happy. :)   
  
  
  
  
************  
  
The thin even beeping was continuous, a good sign since it was a heart monitor,   
  
  
  
but a bad sign simply because she needed one.  
  
  
  
  
The three silent people entered the room with some trepidation. Only Jack failed   
  
  
  
to wince as they saw the myriad of bruises and cuts marring every inch of bare skin,   
  
  
  
which was a lot of skin since she was still wearing the black vinyl bra, only without the   
  
  
  
mesh shirt over top.   
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh my God," Francie whispered.   
  
  
  
  
  
"It's not as bad as it looks," Jack said as he walked over next to the bed, "They're   
  
  
  
mostly superficial. Most of the cuts should heal in a few days. The ribs however," his   
  
  
  
hand hovered over the deep purple bruises covering her stomach, "Those will take a few   
  
  
  
weeks at least to heal."  
  
  
  
  
  
"She won't be going on any business trips anytime soon. Sloane will not be   
  
  
  
happy," he muttered under his breath so quietly that even Will, straining to hear, couldn't   
  
  
  
make out the words.   
  
  
  
  
  
"How is she?"  
  
  
  
  
  
Speak of the devil. Jack turned from Sydney to see Arvin Sloane standing in the   
  
  
  
doorway.   
  
  
  
  
  
Will moved closer to Sydney, half defensively, half frightened.   
  
  
  
  
  
"She'll be okay in time."  
  
  
  
  
  
Sloane nodded and walked into the room. "I can't imagine what happened. It's   
  
  
  
just terrible to think what can happen to someone when they're supposed to be at home,   
  
  
  
in their own safe environment."  
  
  
  
  
  
Sloane's eyes never met Jack's, but the undertones in his voice made his message   
  
  
  
clear. He was going to find out what happened. And shit was going to hit the fan.   
  
  
  
  
  
"Daddy?"  
  
  
  
  
  
The small, innocent, scared voice made everyone in the room freeze. "Daddy?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"I'm right here." He picked up Sydney's hand off the bed and held it tight. "I'm   
  
  
  
right here."  
  
  
  
  
  
All of a sudden she started to struggle and the heart monitor reading grew   
  
  
  
unsteady. "Dr. Lewis. Detox. NO! Not again. Please Daddy help me. Don't let them take   
  
  
  
me again." The tears leaked out of her eyes as nurses rushed in pulling Jack away from   
  
  
  
her and slipping a needle into her IV.   
  
  
  
  
  
"What is that?"  
  
  
  
  
  
The nurse paid Jack little attention. "Just something to calm her down."  
  
  
  
  
  
Jack saw red. "Don't you think she has enough chemicals in her system already   
  
  
  
without you adding more!"  
  
  
  
  
  
The nurse looked right into his eyes. "We need to keep her calm and keep her   
  
  
  
vitals stable. Because otherwise she's going to die."  
  
  
  
  
  
Jack stood still, shell shocked, as she and the other nurses left the room.  
  
  
  
  
  
Will walked over to the bed and brushed a piece of blue hair off of her face. He   
  
  
  
leaned down and whispered in her ear. "Everything's going to be ok. You're not in detox.   
  
  
  
And I'm sure we will all make sure that you come home just as soon as possible. No need   
  
  
  
to spend extra time in the hospital. You'll get through this. We all will." He straightened   
  
  
  
up, reconsidered, and leaned back down. "Thank you," he whispered as quietly as he   
  
  
  
could, "You saved my life. Thank you."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Review, Review, Review. Ok. Another reason. I have no friends and only feedback sustains me? 


	8. Lies, lies, and more lies

The Way of Seeming  
  
  
  
  
  
I own nothing. All character's belong to someone with much more money   
  
  
  
than me.  
  
  
  
  
Author's note: This is the (hopefully) fully corrected version.   
If you find ANY mistakes PLEASE leave me a review saying where.   
I was reading this story over and the number of mistakes I found drove me INSANE!  
  
  
P.S. Good news. I got my philosophy paper back. I got an A!!!! Good news has inspired   
  
me to write more, so now I just have to type it.   
  
  
........And now it begins.  
  
  
  
  
  
Don't forget to review. They make me happy. :)   
  
  
************  
  
  
  
  
Soon after the beep of the heart monitor had faded into the background noise of   
  
  
  
the world, the nurse kicked everyone out.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"That girl there needs lots of rest to get better. So shoo," she said with a smile.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Francie bent down and kissed Sydney on the forehead. "Feel better soon," she   
  
  
  
whispered before walking out, tears in her eyes. Will followed, staying clear of Sloane,   
  
  
  
the devil incarnate.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Jack and Sloane walked out side by side. When the door shut behind them Sloane   
  
  
  
laid a bony, skeletal hand on Jack's arm. "We will talk tomorrow. Be at my office at   
  
  
  
seven o'clock. Don't be late." He walked away without another word.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sloane's office gave off a vibe of death. No good had ever come out of it.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Jack walked in as the clock clicked to seven o'clock.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sloane was sitting there, hands in his lap, reading his computer screen.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sit down Jack." Sloane didn't even bother to look up.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Jack took a seat in front of the desk and waited for Sloane to make the first move.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
After long moments of silence and stillness Sloane turned from his computer,   
  
  
  
folded his hands under his chin, and looked over at Jack.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sydney is right now in a local hospital with numerous injuries, a system full of   
  
  
  
drugs, and blue hair. Would you like to explain how that came about?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Here's where years of lying to anyone and everyone I've ever met comes in   
  
  
  
handy, he thought.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I'm not entirely sure. However I fear that this lifestyle is breaking her down. Sydney never   
  
  
  
liked lying, and I think the amount of lies she's been telling lately may have pushed her   
  
  
  
over the edge."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"And if she'd tried to kill herself then I might be able to buy that story. However,   
  
  
  
that does not explain the blue hair or the bruises."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Let's dig a little deeper into this family well of lies. "It's been known, among deep cover   
  
  
  
agents, that they keep the habits and behaviors of their alias even after their assignment is   
  
  
  
over. Sydney has so many different aliases that she can not take on any one easily. So, I   
  
  
  
believe that she combined the most frequent and prevalent aspects of her aliases. The," he   
  
  
  
coughed, "revealing clothes and odd hair and the environment, nightclubs or the more   
  
  
  
unpleasant areas of society. And of course the bad areas of Los Angeles are filled with   
  
  
  
unsavory characters and drugs. A dangerous situation to be in. Even for Sydney."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sloane sat back in his chair and starred at Jack. "It sounds like you have a very   
  
  
  
precise explanation considering the fact that Sydney has only said a dozen words, and   
  
  
  
none of them were an explanation of what happened."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Jack didn't even blink. "I had a lot of time to think about this while I was sitting in the   
  
  
  
waiting room."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sloane nodded. He didn't believe what he was saying. Jack clenched his teeth. He   
  
  
  
had to make Sloane drop this.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He leaned forward in the chair and massaged his forehead.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Jack?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Jack didn't look up. "I really hope that's what happened. Because if it isn't."   
  
  
  
Jack trailed off and dropped his head to his hands for just a moment before sitting up   
  
  
  
straight and putting the emotionless mask back into position. Had to make this believable.   
  
  
  
No one would believe it if he just broke down crying. Even the little emotion he had just   
  
  
  
displayed was pushing it. Sloane seemed to have bought it. He was looking at Jack with   
  
  
  
concerned eyes. Jack cleared his throat and stood up. "I should get going. Visiting hours   
  
  
  
start soon and I want to check on how she's doing before the ten o'clock briefing."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"No. That's ok. You don't have to come to the briefing. In fact, take the day off.   
  
  
  
Be with your daughter."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Jack nodded and left the room. "Thank You." As he rode the elevator down to the   
  
  
  
parking garage he couldn't help the feeling that something had just gone horribly wrong.   
  
  
  
But there was no time to think about that. He had to find out the soonest that he could get   
  
  
  
Sydney out of the hospital. If the drugs were still affecting her, who knows what   
  
  
  
information she could unwittingly disclose.   
  
  
  
  
  
************  
  
  
  
  
  
Review, Review, Review. Why? Because they're fun to do of course. 


	9. Aftershocks

The Way of Seeming  
  
  
  
I own nothing. All character's belong to someone with much more money   
  
  
than me.  
  
  
  
Author's note: Good news. I got my philosophy paper back. I got an A!!!! Good   
  
  
news has inspired me to write more, so now I just have to type it.   
  
  
  
  
  
Don't forget to review. They make me happy. :)   
  
  
*************  
  
  
  
  
When Jack walked into the darkened hospital room he was relieved to see Sydney   
  
  
  
awake and answering the nurse's questions.  
  
  
  
  
  
She smiled brightly when she saw him. "Hi Daddy!"  
  
  
  
  
  
The nurse smiled too. "Well that's the most emotion I've seen out of her all day."   
  
  
She winked at him. "I think your being here will do her a world of good."  
  
  
  
  
  
He gave her a small, quick and walked over to sit beside Sydney as she walked   
  
  
  
out.   
  
  
  
  
  
"How are you feeling?"  
  
  
  
  
  
Sydney smiled. "Like I'm tired of having blue hair. Every time I try to take this   
  
  
  
stupid wig off some nurse tells me to stay still."  
  
  
  
  
  
Jack stood up. "Here." He carefully pulled off the wig, her now brown hair falling   
  
  
  
freely around her face.  
  
  
  
  
  
Her smile widened. "Thanks."  
  
  
  
  
  
He sat back down, playing with the wig in his hands. He took a deep breath.   
  
  
  
"What happened?"  
  
  
  
  
  
Sydney's smile disappeared and Jack immediately regretted saying anything.  
  
  
  
  
  
"I...I'm not really sure."  
  
  
  
  
  
"What do you remember?"  
  
  
  
  
  
Sydney laid back and closed her eyes. "We went to the club and made our way   
  
  
  
back to the lab. I took down three guards before I made it to the lab. The circumference,   
  
  
  
it was, huge. It wasn't supposed to be huge.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Two guards burst into the room. I put the explosives on the energy source and   
  
  
  
ran.  
  
  
  
  
  
"The explosion released the water, it was supposed to, but there was so much   
  
  
  
water, it flooded the room. This huge tidal wave followed me as I ran out.  
  
  
  
  
  
"And there he was. The comm system must have been knocked out, he thought I   
  
  
  
was in trouble, he came.  
  
  
  
  
  
"I tried to get him to run, but he just stood there staring, at the water, at me, I   
  
  
  
don't know. When he finally started running it was to late. The door was closing, I just   
  
  
  
barely made it through.  
  
  
  
  
  
"I...I tried to break the glass. I tried to get him out," she started crying, "I swear I   
tried."  
  
  
  
  
  
Jack reached forward and took her hand. She held on like it was the last thing   
  
  
  
keeping her in the world.  
  
  
  
  
  
She looked at him. "But...but he's ok right? He's getting bitched at by Devlin and   
  
  
  
teased by Weiss right? HE made it back ok? I mean, there had to be a way out. There's   
  
  
  
always a way out."  
  
  
  
  
  
Jack lowered his eyes from her pleading ones. "No one's heard from him yet.   
  
  
  
Devlin said it was to dangerous to send in an extraction team."  
  
  
  
  
  
Sydney sat up and tried to get out of bed. "I have to go. I have to find him."   
  
  
  
Alarms went off as she pulled off the electrodes for the heart monitor.  
  
  
  
  
  
Jack just sat there, helpless.  
  
  
  
  
  
Nurses rushed in. "What are you doing?!"  
  
  
  
  
  
Sydney stilled for a minute, wrapping one arm across her ribs and holding her   
  
  
  
head with the other one. "I have to find him. He's my guardian angel. Can't do anything   
  
  
  
without my angel," she muttered.  
  
  
  
  
  
The nurses were trying, unsuccessfully, to get her to stay put without hurting her.  
  
  
  
  
  
Jack stood up. "Sydney!" Sydney turned to look at him. "You will lay down this   
  
  
  
instant."  
  
  
  
  
  
Sydney stopped moving.  
  
  
  
  
  
"I will get," he glanced at the nurses warily before continuing, "them to do   
  
  
  
something about this 'situation' and get you out of this place as soon as possible only if   
  
  
  
you stay put, listen to the nurses, eat insanely large amounts of Jell-O, and hang on to   
  
  
  
your sanity as all these drugs work their way out of your bloodstream."  
  
  
  
  
  
Sydney laid back down silently and the nurses reattached the electrodes. The   
  
  
  
room was in complete silence as the nurses left.  
  
  
  
  
  
Jack sighed. "Thank you." He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I have some   
  
  
  
things to take care of, but I'll call Will and tell him that you're awake."  
  
  
  
  
  
He brushed a piece of hair off her face and walked to the door.  
  
  
  
  
  
"It was Mom." He froze. "She's the one who had me."  
  
  
  
  
  
He turned around to face her slowly.  
  
  
  
  
  
She met his eyes for an instant before closing her eyes and letting her head fall to   
  
  
  
the pillow.  
  
  
  
He swallowed, turned back around, and exited the hospital in a daze.   
  
  
  
  
*************  
  
  
  
  
Somehow he made it to Sydney's without hitting anyone. He walked up to the door and   
  
  
  
knocked.  
  
  
  
  
  
The door opened ands he saw Will, looking as if he hadn't slept at all.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Jack?"  
  
  
  
  
  
Jack snapped back to reality and saw the terrified look in his eyes.  
  
  
  
  
  
"She's awake."  
  
  
  
  
  
There was such relief in Will's eyes that Jack was overwhelmed.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Francie!" he called into the house, "She's awake!"  
  
  
  
  
  
There were frantic noises heard from inside the house and then Francie was   
  
  
  
beside Will, dragging him out the door, closing it behind her. "What are we waiting for?"  
  
  
  
  
  
Will held back as Francie jumped in her car. "Are you coming?"  
  
  
  
  
  
Jack shook his head. "I was already there. Sydney asked me to do something for   
  
  
  
her." Will nodded and got in the car.  
  
  
  
  
  
Jack stood there for a moment watching the car drive away before he walked to   
  
  
  
his own car and got in, his eyes catching the blue wig laying on the passenger seat.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Review, Review, Review. Cause it gives me a warm happy feeling. 


	10. Lies and secrets

The Way of Seeming  
  
  
I own nothing. All character's belong to someone with much more money   
  
  
than me.  
  
  
  
Author's note: Good news. I got my second philosophy test back. I got a 100!!!   
  
  
Go me! A lack of reviews however has discouraged my spirits and led to me doing   
  
  
horrible, disgusting things. Like homework. To all my friends out there reading this: You   
  
  
are in college and therefore you should be capable of clicking a button. If not, seek me   
  
  
out for further instructions.  
  
  
And Maggie, there's no ; in I'm. :)  
  
  
  
  
Don't forget to review. They make me happy. :)   
  
  
  
  
More to come soon. But I don't feel like typing anymore today.   
  
  
  
************   
  
  
  
"I don't care if it's too dangerous! One of your agents is missing and after the way   
  
  
Sydney turned up I would think you'd be a little worried about what information Agent Vaughn could   
  
  
inadvertently disclose while under the influence of drugs."  
  
  
  
Devlin sighed and leaned forward, folding his hands on his desk. "We just got   
  
  
word an hour ago. A body was found in downtown Taipei last night fitting Vaughn's   
  
  
description. There's no longer a reason for a rescue mission."  
  
  
  
Jack sat down in the chair in front of the desk, shocked. For a moment there was   
  
  
silence. Then his face cleared and he looked Devlin straight in the eyes. "Sydney can not   
  
  
find out. If she knows he's dead she'll blame herself and there's no way she'll be able to   
  
  
make it through the withdrawal."  
  
  
  
Devlin nodded. "I know." He sighed. "I wish she didn't have to go through this   
  
  
again."  
  
  
  
Jack stood up. "I wish you didn't have to add the word 'again.'" He moved to   
  
  
walk out and shut the door, leaving a contemplative Devlin behind, but Devlin stopped   
  
  
him.  
  
  
  
"You didn't tell me what happened to Sydney."  
  
  
  
Jack, facing the door, took a deep breath. "Her mother kidnapped her, pumped her   
  
  
full of drugs, and dumped her on her front porch."  
  
  
  
With that he walked out the door.   
  
  
  
After a moment Devlin picked up the phone, still in shock. "We have a problem.   
  
  
Connect me with Langely."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"They're beautiful Francie."  
  
  
  
Sydney took the irises from her and brought them to her face. The sweet scent filled   
  
  
her senses and cleared her head.  
  
  
  
Will came in with a vase of water and set it on the bedside table. He took the   
  
  
flowers from her and placed them in the vase.  
  
  
  
Francie pulled the chair up next to the bed and took her hand. "How are you doing   
  
  
honey?"  
  
  
  
Sydney smiled. "I feel great. But that's probably just the pain killers talking."  
  
  
  
Francie's eyes were shimmering with tears.   
  
  
  
Sydney squeezed her hand tighter. "I'm ok. For now at least. The pain killers will   
  
  
hold off the withdrawal from the drugs as long as I'm on them. It's not going to be so   
  
  
much fun when I go off the painkillers, but I'm not going to worry about that yet. Right now   
  
  
everything is nice and glowy.  
  
  
  
Sydney giggled, almost maniacally.  
  
  
  
Francie looked down at her hand in Sydney's.  
  
  
  
"What happened to you Sydney?"  
  
  
  
Sydney sighed and tried to force the agony she felt at lying out of her eyes.  
  
  
  
"I don't remember. I remember landing in San Diego. Then it's all just blank. The   
  
  
doctor says it's natural to have mild amnesia after a severe trauma. And the same thing   
  
  
happened to Dixon when he was shot, so I'm not that worried. I'll probably never know   
  
  
what happened though."  
  
  
  
Francie looked at her with such pity that Sydney could hardly stand it.   
  
  
  
"Oh honey. I'm so sorry."  
  
  
  
Sydney gave her a smile. "It's going to be ok Francie. Don't worry. Everything is   
  
  
going to be ok."  
  
  
  
At that point Jack walked in. He was still pale and looked even more shaky, but   
  
  
he was trying hard to hide it.  
  
  
  
Sydney looked over at him. "Is everything ok?"  
  
  
  
Jack stood there staring out the window behind Sydney's head.  
  
  
  
"Dad?"   
  
  
  
He looked down to her worried face. The bland expression was locked on his   
  
  
face, but he tried to force a ghost of a smile for her. At the same time not believing what   
  
  
he was about to say. "They think they've found what they're looking for."  
  
  
  
The smile that lit up her face almost killed him. "That's great!"  
  
  
  
This time he couldn't force any expression without letting the pain come through.   
  
  
  
"I have to go. There's a meeting."  
  
  
  
Sydney's eyes darted to the clock. 10:40. The she looked back at him, seeing a   
  
  
  
strange look in his eyes. He was lying.   
  
  
  
She smiled. "That's ok."  
  
  
  
"I talked to the doctors. You can be out of here in two days."  
  
  
  
Sydney smiled a real smile. "That's great." Her smile fell. "Then of course I'll be   
  
  
off the pain killers," she sighed, "That'll kinda suck. Mercurius per caelum volat et   
  
  
advenit ad litus Libyae." Sydney laid back against the pillows and sighed.   
  
  
  
Francie looked at her strangely. Sydney squeezed her hand and smiled a little.  
  
  
  
"Sorry. I think it's the pain killers. My brain kinda feels like it's swimming."  
  
  
  
The nurse walked in. "Ok. Come on now. Everybody needs to leave so she can   
  
  
heal up faster."  
  
  
  
"Bye honey."  
  
  
  
"Bye Syd."  
  
  
  
Jack walked out without a word.  
  
  
  
Sydney closed her eyes and laid back down with a smile, slipping into dreams of   
  
  
meeting with Vaughn in the warehouse.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Review please. :)  
|  
|  
|  
|  
|  
\/ 


	11. Home at last

The Way of Seeming  
  
I own nothing. All character's belong to someone with much more money   
than me.  
  
Author's note: REVIEWS!!!! In honor of the three reviews I received yesterday   
(It made me so happy!!! Thanks Guys!!! ?) I have decided to forego doing my Spanish   
oral project, my APA style paper for psych, and the research paper on the Brooklyn   
Bridge I received today and update once again.   
And still- To all my friends out there reading this: You are in college and   
therefore you should be capable of clicking a button. If not, seek me out for further   
instructions.  
  
Don't forget to review. They make me happy. :)   
************   
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Easy. Easy." Francie and Will carefully helped Sydney out of the car and up the   
path to the door.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You ok?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I'm fine. And I am capable of walking on my own you know."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Francie shook her head. "No chance in hell."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sydney sighed and went along with their slow progress towards the house.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
When they finally got into the house they led her into the living room and put her   
on the couch.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Francie handed her the remote. "Now sit there and don't move."  
  
  
  
  
  
Sydney let out a long suffering sigh and relaxed back into the couch, turning the   
TV on and flipping through the channels.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Will came back with her bag and tossed it into her room before carefully sitting   
down next to her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I'm not a china doll you know," she leaned in closer to him, "I've been through   
worse. I could probably take down a guy twice my size right now."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Will shook his head, smiling. "Well then I guess I don't have to baby you."   
He reached over and grabbed the remote out of her hand.  
  
  
  
  
  
"You give that back NOW Will!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
At Francie's yell Will jumped and tossed the remote back to Sydney.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sydney couldn't stop laughing.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
Suddenly she couldn't breathe. All silliness dropped as she tried to take deep   
breaths as the pain in her ribs was suddenly unbearable.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sydney? Sydney! Are you ok?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A dim voice cut through the lights flashing in front of her eyes, the hand on her   
arm bringing her back.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sorry," she whispered, still trying to breath, "Pain killers just wore off."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh honey."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Whatever you do don't touch me."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A startled hand pulled back as Sydney slowly stood up. "I'm going to bed. By   
myself. Goodnight."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
With that Sydney walked away, leaving her friends in confusion behind her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She shut the door behind her, only then letting the tears leave her eyes. She could   
almost feel the drugs in her system, breaking down quickly without the painkillers   
to sustain them.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Everything was spinning, changing colors, glowing. Any blissful feelings were   
washed away by the total and complete terror that she felt knowing what was going to   
come next.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The feeling of your bones being pulled through your skin, your blood on fire, and   
the nightmares, the horrible nightmares.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sydney carefully and slowly sunk to the floor, unable to stop the sobs that   
escaped.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
All she could hear was her father, the terror in his voice when he'd found her   
collapsed on the floor of her bedroom. "Sydney? Sydney?!" His hands pulling her into   
his lap. "My god Sydney, what have you done?" The sound of flesh on metal as he   
picked up the gun. "Where did you find this? Sydney, what were you trying to do?! Oh   
God."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She remembered the ambulance, the voices of the paramedics. And then the   
hospital. She'd spent two days in the detox wing before her father had taken her out. She   
hadn't let go of his arm for three hours. She had been terrified. Everything was spinning,   
the walls were moving, the lamp kept talking to her.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
She was jolted back to the present by a knock on the door behind her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Syd? Do you want some breakfast?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What?" she muttered. She looked over at the window, daylight. She'd spent all   
night on the floor.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yeah. Just a minute." She stood up, finally realizing that she was still wearing   
her outfit from Taipei. She hadn't let anyone convince her to change. She felt closer to   
Vaughn wearing it. But she didn't need that now. Vaughn was fine.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She carefully changed into some loose pajama pants, yellow with little ducks on   
them, and a half tank top, keep everything away from her ribs.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She took a deep breath, slipped her feet into her slippers, and walked out to face   
Francie.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
So what do you think? Is Vaughn ok? Is he hiding out somewhere to escape Devlin's   
wrath for violating orders? Or is he dead? Is he some mutilated corpse lost in the story of   
the world (or my world at least)? Leave me a review and tell me your thoughts.  
  
(sneaky way to get reviews huh? bargaining with the life of a gorgeous man. [insert   
maniacal laughter here]) 


	12. Ewwwwwwwwww

The Way of Seeming  
  
I own nothing. All character's belong to someone with much more money   
than me.  
  
Author's note: REVIEWS!!!! In honor of the, even more reviews, I received   
today (It made me so happy!!! Thanks Guys!!! ?) I have decided to forego doing my   
Spanish oral project, my APA style paper for psych, and the research paper on the   
Brooklyn Bridge, again, and update once again.   
  
  
  
And still- To all my friends out there reading this: You are in college and   
therefore you should be capable of clicking a button. If not, seek me out for further   
instructions.  
  
  
  
  
Don't forget to review. They make me happy. :)   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
************   
  
  
  
  
  
"Have they identified the body yet?  
  
  
  
  
  
Weiss sat slumped in the chair in front of Devlin's desk. "No." He took a deep   
breath. "They said it was to...disfigured to make a visual identification."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Fingerprints?"  
  
  
  
  
  
Weiss wiped at his eyes. "No."  
  
  
  
  
  
Devlin sat back in his chair with a sigh.  
  
  
  
  
  
Weiss cleared his throat and tried to hold back the tears a little longer. "They need   
you to authorize the release of his dental records."  
  
  
  
  
  
Devlin nodded and Weiss quickly left the room.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The disfigured corpse lay on a metal slab in the morgue.   
  
  
  
  
  
"I've got the records."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Good. Let's identify this body and leave. I thought this shift would never end."  
  
  
  
  
  
He opened the door and pulled out the slab.  
  
  
  
  
  
The two junior technicians grimaced.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Gross."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Definitely."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Do we really have to touch that?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"To accurately check the body against the dental records we do."  
  
  
  
  
  
The first technician looked at the body then looked at his partner.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Anyone else looking for a dead white man?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Not that I know of. Why?"  
  
  
  
  
  
He caught the look in his partner's eyes.   
  
  
  
  
  
He smiled, signed off on the file, shoved the slab back in,   
and swung the door closed.  
  
  
  
  
  
"I'm hungry. Do you want to go to lunch?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yeah. Let's go."  
  
(A.N. By the way, they were speaking in.the language they speak in Taipei? I translated   
it to make it easier for you to understand. :))  
  
  
  
  
  
  
I know this one is short but I have to do SOME work on my projects. Parts of them are   
due before Thanksgiving break. I'll type more soon.   
  
  
  
  
  
So what do you think? Is it Vaughn? Will I EVER tell you?  
  
  
  
  
  
  
P.S. Wow! I really have updated a lot recently. I think the reviews actually do make me  
write faster. Not more exactly, but faster. Weird. 


	13. How do you know when you've said too muc...

The Way of Seeming  
  
  
I own nothing. All character's belong to someone with much more money   
  
than me.  
  
  
Author's note: Hey Guys!!!! No reviews to make me happy, but I've finished my   
  
Spanish oral project and paper, my APA style paper for psych, did some research for my   
  
research paper on the Brooklyn Bridge, and did research and wrote two pages of my   
  
philosophy research paper. To make you laugh (this chapter's not gonna have many   
  
laughs unfortunately) here's the title of my philosophy paper: Pythagoras and his merry   
  
band of Pythagoreans. ? Got two papers due in a week so I don't see much writing   
  
getting done outside of Psych, which is where I wrote this.   
  
And still- To all my friends out there reading this: You are in college and   
  
therefore you should be capable of clicking a button. If not, seek me out for further   
  
instructions.  
  
  
  
Don't forget to review. They make me happy. :)   
  
  
  
  
************   
  
  
  
"You want anything on your pancakes?"  
  
  
  
"Cinnamon."  
  
  
  
Will reached across her and grabbed the syrup. "Gross. How can you put   
CINNAMON on your pancakes?"  
  
  
  
Sydney pushed his arm out of the way. "Says the man with Canadian bacon on his   
pancakes."  
  
  
  
"Stop it you two."  
  
  
  
Francie glanced over at Sydney, seeing her smiling. "How are you feeling?"  
  
  
  
Sydney turned to her and smiled. "Great." She turned her head and showed   
Francie her cheek. "See. Bruises quickly disappearing. They'll be gone buy tomorrow."  
  
  
  
"How are they healing so quickly?"  
  
  
  
Sydney shrugged. "I've always healed really quickly." She smiled. "My ribs   
barely hurt. Of course that could be the heroin talking. That would explain the euphoria.   
But hey. Whatever right. Thanks."  
  
  
  
Sydney took her cinnamon pancakes from Francie and turned to eat, missing the   
look Francie shot at Will.  
  
  
  
Will ignored her and leapt over the line. "When do you think the withdrawal will   
start?"  
  
  
  
Francie looked pissed, but Sydney just shrugged. "I'd say two, maybe three days.   
But then I don't know how much she gave me so I guess it could be any time. It's funny,   
yesterday I was terrified. I don't seem to care now." She shrugged again and went back   
to her pancakes.   
  
  
  
The phone rang and Sydney jumped out of her chair. "I'll get it!"  
  
  
  
She picked up the phone excitedly. "Hello?"  
  
  
  
"Joey's Pizza?"  
  
  
  
Sydney's smile dropped from her face. "Wrong number." She put down the   
phone.   
  
  
  
It had been Weiss calling. Where was Vaughn? Why hadn't he been the one to   
call? The euphoria swept through her again. He was probably getting chewed out by   
Devlin but didn't want to wait any longer to see her so he had Weiss call.  
  
  
  
She turned to Francie and Will, a huge smile on her face. "I'm in the mood for   
chocolate. I'll be back." She pulled on her shoes, grabbed her purse, and headed for the   
door.   
  
  
  
Francie's eyes grew wide. "Sydney?! You were in the middle of eating and are   
wearing your pajamas."  
  
  
  
"Be back soon."  
  
  
  
Francie looked at Will who shook his head. "I have no idea." He continued eating   
  
  
  
then looked up. "What did she mean 'she'?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sydney skipped merrily into the warehouse. Even the sight of Weiss standing   
alone didn't upset her, Vaughn must be running late. Man,. Devlin must be really mad.  
  
  
  
Sydney bounded over to Weiss, giving him a big hug. "HI! How are you?   
Me? I'm great. Where's Vaughn? How late is he running?"  
  
  
  
Weiss's face, confused when she had entered, froze and then his   
expression dropped. "You've got to be kidding me. He didn't tell you?"  
  
  
  
Sydney looked confused. "Didn't tell me what?" She grabbed his arm.   
"Did he get fired? Oh my God, I have to go talk to Devlin. I'll explain it. Get him   
reinstated."  
  
  
  
Weiss grabbed her as she started to pull away. "Sydney. I need you to sit   
down here."  
  
  
  
He guided Sydney to a chair and sat her down.  
  
  
  
He knelt down in front of her. "Sydney. God, I'm sorry I have to be the   
one to tell you this," he took a deep breath, "They found a body in Taipei. It was   
identified yesterday. It was Vaughn. He's.he's dead."  
  
  
  
His emotions overwhelmed him as her saw her falling apart. He ran his   
hands through his hair.  
  
  
  
The second his arms released her she jumped up and ran away from him.   
"NO! He can't be dead!" She got deathly quiet. "I killed him. Oh God, I killed him."  
  
  
  
"Sydney-" Before he could say anything she ran out of the warehouse.  
  
  
  
"Damn." He pulled out his cell phone and dialed. "I need to speak with   
Devlin. Sir, I was unable to talk to Bristow about what happened to her. When I told her   
about Vaughn she freaked and bolted. I can't believe her father didn't tell her. What?   
What do you mean he didn't want her to know? What do you mean he thought she   
wouldn't make it through withdrawal if she knew? Why didn't anyone feel the need to   
tell me this?! Yes sir. I'll try and track her down."  
  
  
  
Weiss slammed his cell phone shut. "Damn." He rushed out of the   
warehouse and jumped into his car, speeding off.  
  
  
  
He was long gone by the time Sydney slipped back into the warehouse and   
laid down on the table, sobbing.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
I have a little more to type but my fingers hurt and I'm huingry. More when I'm done   
with my papers.  
  
  
  
  
So what do you think? Is it Vaughn? Will I EVER tell you? What's Sydney going to do?  
  
  
  
  
REVIEW!!! Or my homework will begin to be more important than fanfiction. God forbid. 


	14. The End?

The Way of Seeming  
  
I own nothing. All character's belong to someone with much more money   
than me.  
  
Author's note: Hey Guys!!!! No reviews to make me happy, but I've finished my   
Spanish oral project and paper, my APA style paper for psych, did some research for my   
research paper on the Brooklyn Bridge, and FINISHED writing my philosophy research   
paper. I GOT A HUNDRED ON MY PHILOSOPHY TEST! But I've got another one on   
Monday. I should probably be studying. But screw that.  
And still- To all my friends out there reading this: You are in college and   
therefore you should be capable of clicking a button. If not, seek me out for further   
instructions.  
  
Don't forget to review. They make me happy. :)   
************   
Sydney hadn't come back. Francie was frantic.  
  
  
  
  
"How could you let her leave?!"  
  
  
  
  
Will pulled the phone away from his ear.  
  
  
  
  
"Geez Jack. She leaves all the time after wrong numbers. I think they give her   
cravings for food. It's weird, but then that's Sydney."  
  
  
  
  
Jack's voice was much quieter. "There was a wrong number just before she left?"  
  
  
  
  
"Yeah. She put down the phone, put on her shoes, and left still wearing her   
pajamas. Jack? Hello?"  
  
  
  
  
Francie walked in. "Is he looking for her?"  
  
  
  
  
Will put the phone down. "He hung up on me. I guess he must have been really   
worried. Wanted to start looking right away."  
  
  
  
Francie pulled her coat on and grabbed her keys. "Come on. Let's go find her."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Jack stormed into Devlin's office.   
  
  
  
  
"Who the HELL called my daughter?! She is supposed to be resting!"  
  
  
  
  
Devlin's assistant shut the door quietly behind him.  
  
  
  
  
"You didn't want to explain what happened. I was told to find out what   
happened." He continued before Jack could cut in. "Agent Weiss is out looking for her   
right now."  
  
  
  
  
Jack was livid. "HE doesn't know where she is either?"  
  
  
  
  
"No. Sydney left the warehouse rather quickly before he had the chance to learn   
anything from her."  
  
  
  
  
Jack turned and walked out calling back over his shoulder. "Someone had better   
find her soon. The drugs are most likely in full control now. There's no saying what she   
could do or say."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Agents were scouring the city, looking for one tiny, fragile looking creature who   
was anything but.  
  
  
  
"Agent Kim, have you found anything?"  
  
  
  
"Not a trace. I went back to the warehouse to try and pick up her trail. She   
returned to the warehouse at some point, but whenever she left she was careful not to   
leave any trail to follow."  
  
  
  
"Understood Agent Kim. Report back to base ops."  
  
  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
  
  
The agent shut the phone and slipped into his car, pulling out into the street and   
heading back, mentally cursing the absolutely useless and pointless missions he was sent   
on.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sydney slipped into the silent house, not bothering to turn on any of the lights.   
  
  
  
  
Her eyes felt swollen and they itched as she rubbed them with her fingers once again, trying to   
make the tears stop.  
  
  
  
  
She stumbled into the bathroom. Without turning the lights on she turned on the   
water and splashed it on her face.  
  
  
  
  
As she dried her face the moonlight broke through the cloudy sky and burst into   
the window, alighting on the bathtub.  
  
  
  
  
Sydney rubbed her eyes again. Danny. Bathtub. Blood. She sank down next to the   
tub, sobs choking her again.  
  
  
  
  
She killed Danny. She killed Vaughn. Oh God. Vaughn. She'd killed Vaughn.   
Was there blood? There was always blood. So sticky. Like syrup. Pancakes. I was eating.   
I was happy. Hungry now. Vaughn's not hungry. He'll never be hungry. No pancakes for   
Vaughn. Sticky pancakes. Covered in blood. So much blood. Have to see blood. There   
should be blood.   
  
  
  
  
She sat next to the tub with the razor blade in her hand, not remembering the walk   
to the medicine cabinet, not even wondering where it had come from.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Blood  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
There needs to be blood  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She sat there, staring down at her wrists, the line of red running through the tan   
line from her watch on one wrist, but evenly tanned skin on the other. This fact held her   
entranced as the blood began to flow down her forearms, falling drop by drop to the   
newly tiled floor.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Wow! I have to say that I wrote this last night and I was freaking out. Then I read it over   
in Psych today and got shivers down my spine. I guess it's got to be good if I'm freaking   
myself out.   
  
  
  
  
So what do YOU think? Is she dead? Will they find her in time? Is Vaughn really dead?   
Is it Vaughn? Will I EVER get to the point? REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!! 


	15. Red's a really cool color isn't it?

The Way of Seeming  
  
I own nothing. All character's belong to someone with much more money   
than me.  
  
Author's note: Hey Guys!!!! Not to many reviews to make me happy, but I've   
finished everything and have the weekend free to study for finals next week since all my   
friends are going to NYC, so here I sit, typing fan fiction and watching it snow (It hasn't   
stopped yet and it was snowing this morning when I got up at 6:30. We've got a good six   
inches I'd say. YEA!!!!!)   
And STILL- To all my friends out there reading this: You are in college and   
therefore you should be capable of clicking a button. If not, seek me out for further   
instructions.  
  
Don't forget to review. They make me happy. :)   
  
  
  
************   
  
  
  
  
The ringing of the phone jolted Sydney out of her concentration of what red   
shapes were being formed on the floor.  
  
  
  
  
"Have to answer the phone."  
  
  
  
  
Sydney stood up and walked out of the bathroom and into the living room to   
answer the phone.  
  
  
  
  
She didn't even take notice of the trail of blood that followed her.  
  
  
  
  
"Hello?"  
  
  
  
  
"Joey's pizza?"  
  
  
  
  
Sydney's heart broke again. It sounded just like Vaughn. "Wrong-"  
  
  
  
  
"That's funny. I don't want any pizza." Giggling could be heard on the other end   
of the phone.  
  
  
  
  
"Vaughn?  
  
  
  
  
"What?"  
  
  
  
  
"Vaughn?!"  
  
  
  
  
"What?!"  
  
  
  
  
"You're alive?"  
  
  
  
  
"Um...Yeah? At least I think so. Why?"  
  
  
  
  
"They said you were dead."  
  
  
  
  
"They did?"  
  
  
  
  
"Yeah."  
  
  
  
  
"Bummer. I don't want to be dead."  
  
  
  
  
"Yeah. I don't want you to be dead either."  
  
  
  
  
There was a pause as each were lost in contemplation.  
  
  
  
  
"Red's a really cool color."   
  
  
  
  
Sydney sat down on the floor. "Yeah. There's all kinds of cool stuff that's red."  
  
  
  
  
"Blood's cool."  
  
  
  
  
"I suppose so."  
  
  
  
  
"There's blood on my leg."  
  
  
  
  
"There's blood on my arms."  
  
  
  
  
"What did you do?"  
  
  
  
  
"What did you do?"  
  
  
  
  
"I think I was shot."  
  
  
  
  
"I slit my wrists."  
  
  
  
  
"Shouldn't it hurt?"  
  
  
  
  
"I seem to be bleeding a lot."  
  
  
  
  
"I mean, bullets right, they generally hurt?"  
  
  
  
  
"I think I'll probably die eventually."  
  
  
  
  
"Then we'll both be dead."  
  
  
  
  
"Yeah, I guess."  
  
  
  
  
"I'm really dead?"  
  
  
  
  
"That's what they said."  
  
  
  
  
"Do I have to be?"  
  
  
  
  
"Have to be what?"  
  
  
  
  
"Dead. I mean, do I have to be just because they say so?"  
  
  
  
  
Sydney pondered that for a moment. "Hey. Yeah. Why should they be able to   
make you dead if you don't want to be?"  
  
  
  
  
"Yeah. Ok. Then I decide NOT to be dead."  
  
  
  
  
"Yea! I'm glad you're not dead. I miss you."  
  
  
  
  
"I miss you too," he paused, "Wait! Didn't you say you were going to be dead?"  
  
  
  
  
"Most likely. There seems to be a lot of blood all over."  
  
  
  
  
"But if you're dead and I'm alive then we can't see each other."  
  
  
  
  
"Oh. Then I don't want to be dead either."  
  
  
  
  
"OK......Who are you again?"  
  
  
  
  
"Sydney."  
  
  
  
  
"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...Sydney who?"  
  
  
  
  
Sydney found this hysterically funny and fell to the floor, unable to stop laughing.  
  
  
  
  
And that was where her father found her five minutes later. Laying on the red-  
stained carpet, tears running down her face from laughing, the phone clutched in her   
hand, sticky with gore.  
  
  
  
  
"Sydney!"  
  
  
  
  
Jack flung himself onto the floor, pulling her into his lap. "Sydney! Sydney, God,   
not again."  
  
  
  
  
There was so much blood. Her stomach was coated in it, her arms covered in red   
streaks reaching to her elbows. He reached to take the phone from her.  
  
  
  
  
  
"NO! My Vaughn."  
  
  
  
  
"What?"  
  
  
  
  
"My Vaughn. You can't have him."  
  
  
  
  
She closed her eyes. "Kinda tired now. Wanna sleep with Vaughn."  
  
  
  
  
Jack ripped the phone away from her, ignoring her protests.  
  
  
  
  
"Hello?"  
  
  
  
  
"Hello."  
  
  
  
  
"Who is this?"  
  
  
  
  
"The girl with the blood...what did she say her name was again? Sydney! That's   
it. But that's not right. I think she's a little confused. She's Syd. She has bozo hair. And   
the most amazing-"  
  
  
  
  
"Mr. Vaughn! Where are you?"  
  
  
  
  
"I'm right here."  
  
  
  
  
"Where are you located? What city are you in? What country?"  
  
  
  
  
"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh...I dunno. A dark one?"  
  
  
  
  
"How did you call this number?"  
  
  
  
  
"Well there was this like, phone, but it was in my pocket. And I hit the button that   
makes it dial real fast, and there she was. My goddess. The love of my life. The woman   
with the amazing-"  
  
  
  
  
"Mr. Vaughn. I want you to look around and tell me what you see."  
  
  
  
  
"Okey Dokey. Um...There's some lights, and some of 'em are like flashing.   
Wow. That's so cool."  
  
  
  
  
"What else do you see?"  
  
  
  
  
"Woah! That is one huge fucking eagle! And it's changing colors! How can   
something change color and yet always be gold at the same time?"  
  
  
  
  
"Is the eagle on a building?"  
  
  
  
  
"Yeperdeedoodles."  
  
  
  
  
"Are there any signs on the building?"  
  
  
  
  
"Yeperdeedoodles with smiley faces and candy buttons and some fudge that I   
would love to eat and I'm kinda hungry-"  
  
  
  
  
"What does the sign say?"  
  
  
  
  
"Er...Ar...Em...Am...Amero...Ohhhhhhhhhh....American Embassy," he paused,   
"Embassy is a funny word. Hehehe. It has a Y at the end."  
  
  
  
  
"Listen to me carefully."  
  
  
  
  
"OK."  
  
  
  
  
Jack struggled to keep his temper in check. "I want you to walk into that   
building."  
  
  
  
  
"Ok." There was a moment of silence. "Hey! Somebody tell the building to quit   
changing size. 's making me dizzy." More silence. "Hey guys! Whaz up? Hey....Hey! Get   
your hands offa me!" There was the sound of the phone hitting the ground and more,   
softer protests from Vaughn.   
  
  
  
  
"Hello? Hello?!" Jack screamed into the phone. Someone came onto the other   
end. "Who is this?!"  
  
  
  
  
"Agent Robertson, CIA. I don't know who your friend is but-"  
  
  
  
  
"He's CIA."  
  
  
  
  
There was a moment of silence then she came back on, menace in her voice.   
"What?"  
  
  
  
  
"He was undercover with another agent when they were both captured. The other   
agent was recovered, but he was thought dead. A body was found, it was identified as   
him."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Then are you sure this is your man?"  
  
  
  
  
"Yes. Positive."  
  
  
  
  
"What office?"  
  
  
  
  
"Los Angeles. Under Director Devlin."  
  
  
  
  
There was a pause on the other end of the line. "He's pretty messed up."  
  
  
  
  
"So was the other agent." He looked down at Sydney and saw her eyed repeatedly   
fluttering closed. "Shit! Speaking of which she slit her wrists and is still bleeding. I have   
to go! Don't let him out of your sight! He's drugged. Has no idea what's going on. He   
knows to much classified information to be left on his own."  
  
  
  
  
"Understood."  
  
  
  
  
Jack hung up the phone and threw it, not seeing it as it skidded across the kitchen   
floor and under the stove.  
  
  
  
  
"Don't you dare fall asleep on me Sydney!"  
  
  
  
  
"Tired Daddy," she whispered.  
  
  
  
  
He ran into the bathroom, blanching at the amount of blood. He tore apart the   
medicine cabinet, grabbing all the bandages he could find.  
  
  
  
  
He rushed back, throwing everything on the floor next to her and easing her head   
into his lap.  
  
  
  
  
"It's ok. Everything's gonna be ok."  
  
  
  
  
He started wrapping her wrists, not stopping until he ran out of bandages.  
  
  
  
  
He pulled his cell phone out of his jacket pocket.  
  
  
  
  
"Hello? Yes. I need an ambulance at Sydney Bristow's house immediately. She   
cut herself, she's lost a lot of blood....Yes, I think the bleeding has slowed down, but it   
hasn't stopped. And I need a cleanup crew too. Her roommates can't come back to this....   
Why? It's a lot of blood. The amount you'd find if, for instance, you came home and   
found your roommate lying dead with a bullet through her heart....Yes. Thank you."  
  
  
  
  
He hung up the phone and put it back in his pocket, looking down at Sydney. She   
had a big stupid grin on her face.  
  
  
  
  
"Vaughn's not dead."  
  
  
  
He sighed. "It looks that way."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Good. No want Vaughn dead."  
  
  
  
  
"Yes. It's wonderful. And it would have been even more wonderful if no one had   
told you that he was dead in the first place."  
  
  
  
  
"Yeah. That was mean. He made me all sad."  
  
  
  
  
Jack looked down at Sydney's wrists. "This is never going to end, is it?"  
  
  
  
  
Sydney smiled and crossed her arms across her chest. "My Vaughn. Love my   
Vaughn."  
  
  
  
  
The door opened and Jack looked up.  
  
  
  
  
"Oh shit." Weiss just stood there staring at Sydney. "I didn't...I mean...Oh   
God...I didn't-"  
  
  
  
  
"It's ok. She'll be fine. She just needs some blood."   
  
  
  
  
"Yep." Sydney was giggling. Then she looked at her father with a strangely   
comical serious face. "Vaughn get blood too, right? Needs blood. Something 'bout gettin'   
shot."  
  
  
  
  
"What?"  
  
  
  
  
But he said it didn't hurt. That's silly. Bullets hurt."  
  
  
  
  
"She's delirious."  
  
  
  
  
Jack looked up at Weiss. "No. Just very, very high." He started to tell Weiss about   
Vaughn and then thought better of it. "You'd better sit down."  
  
  
  
  
"Why?"  
  
  
  
  
"Sit!"  
  
  
  
  
Weiss quickly sat down on the couch.  
  
  
  
  
Jack breathed a quick sigh, hoping Weiss wouldn't pass out. "Vaughn's in the   
custody of CIA agents at an American embassy."  
  
  
  
  
Weiss jumped up. "What?!"  
  
  
  
  
"He called here. He was still on the phone when I arrived. He was pretty messed   
up," he looked down at Sydney, "and may have been shot, but he's ok. The agents there   
are going to contact Devlin. After that he'll probably be sent home."  
  
  
  
  
Weiss sank onto the couch. "But the body. It was identified."  
  
  
  
  
"Obviously they didn't check closely enough."  
  
  
  
  
"They told his mother. She couldn't stop crying."  
  
  
  
  
"At least she'll be getting her son back."  
  
  
  
  
Weiss nodded, head in his hands.  
  
  
  
  
Jack looked at the clock. Too long. "Come on."  
  
  
  
  
"What?"  
  
  
  
  
"Help me get her to your car."  
  
  
  
  
"Why?"  
  
  
  
  
"She has to get to a hospital now. She needs blood."  
  
  
  
  
"Oh."  
  
  
  
  
Weiss rushed over and helped him get her outside and into the car, not easily   
accomplished when all she wanted to do was sing and proclaim her love for Vaughn.  
  
  
  
  
Weiss cleared his throat. "It's amazing," Jack looked at him, "I can't seem to   
remember a word she uttered the entire trip."  
  
  
  
  
Jack sighed. "Probably for the best."  
  
  
  
  
They finally maneuvered her into the car and headed to the hospital.  
  
  
  
  
A different hospital, a different name.  
  
  
  
  
Same as always.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
So what do YOU think? Is she going to be ok? And what's up with Vaughn? Will I   
EVER get to the point where Vaughn actually is present in all his yummy goodness?   
REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!! 


	16. The whole Shebang

The Way of Seeming  
  
I own nothing. All characters belong to someone with much more money   
than me.  
  
Author's note: Hey Guys!!!! MY COMPUTER WORKS NOW!!! Still have to   
install some more stuff but I finished the story and just have to type it all up. :)  
  
Don't forget to review. They make me happy. :)   
************   
  
  
"How is she?"  
  
  
"She should be fine. The cuts weren't even that deep. She didn't cut the vein."  
  
  
Jack looked at the doctor amazed. "But then how did she lose so much blood?"  
  
  
The doctor sat down across from him in a corner of the waiting room. "Your   
daughter had an enormous amount of blood right under the surface of her skin. It was   
under extreme pressure, and when she cut the skin it all came rushing out. The tests we   
ran indicated that she was only missing a little over a pint of blood. If you're correct   
about how much blood she lost she must have been producing unneeded   
blood. There was a drug in her system that causes the body to continually produce blood,   
it's experimental and meant to end the need for transfusions. We gave her something to   
neutralize the effects."  
  
  
"Does she need stitches?"  
  
  
The doctor shook her head. "No. The cuts were shallow enough that stitches   
aren't needed. But she is going to have to be careful for a few days not to stretch the cuts   
and reopen them while they heal. They should be closed in a few days. Until then they   
should stay wrapped." She paused. "I know you said that she didn't attempt to commit   
suicide, but those kind of cuts," she paused again, "it's not natural to cut yourself that   
way accidentally. It's the way people commit suicide who are not only serious in their   
attempt, but who also know what they are doing."  
  
  
Jack gritted his teeth, knowing he wasn't going to be able to get out of this with   
outright lies.   
  
  
He let his head drop. "Michelle has gone through some bad times lately. She fell   
in with a bad crowd. They convinced her to take drugs. While she was still high she got   
some extremely bad news and overreacted." He let himself get overemotional. "It's my   
fault. I should have been there. I...I should have been watching her more closely."  
  
  
She put her hand on his arm. "This is not your fault. She's a grown woman   
who is responsible for her own actions."  
  
  
He nodded. "I know. But she's still my little girl. I should have protected her from   
this." He looked up at her. "When can I take her home?"  
  
  
"The blood will be replaced in a couple of hours. Then, if she's conscious and   
lucid, you can take her home."  
  
  
"Thank you."  
  
  
The doctor nodded, squeezed his arm, then got up and left the waiting room.  
  
  
He relaxed back into the chair and barely contained a smirk. They really had to   
come up with some new lines. He'd heard it all before.  
  
  
He took out his phone and placed a call to Weiss.  
  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
  
Jack raised his eyebrows. "Sydney's doing fine. She'll be out of the hospital in a   
couple of hours."  
  
  
"Oh. That's good."  
  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
  
Weiss was silent for a moment before everything came flooding out. "They refuse   
to release Vaughn. They're planning on bringing him up on drug charges. Apparently the   
amount of LSD in his system is illegal in EVERY fucking country in the world except the   
one he was in, so they decided that he'd come to the country just to get high."  
  
  
"What?!"  
  
  
"Apparently when they called Devlin, he was unavailable and the next highest   
ranking person said that they had no undercover agents in Taipei, so they decided that   
you had been covering for him."  
  
  
"What's Devlin doing to fix this?"  
  
  
"Nothing."  
  
  
"What?!"  
  
  
"He doesn't believe me that Vaughn's alive. He says its wishful thinking. Then he left on vacation."  
  
  
"Damnit. Fine. You know what, I'll do it myself. I'll just do everything myself."  
  
  
"Jack?"  
  
  
"What?"  
  
  
"Whatever you're doing? I'm in."  
  
  
"We'll wait until tomorrow. When Sydney gets out we'll take her with us."  
  
  
"Do you think that's wise?"  
  
  
"I'm not leaving her on her own again. I'll call her roommates and give them   
some story about her showing up at my apartment and I've decided to keep her there,   
some crap like that. You find out where Vaughn's being held, how many guards, the whole   
shebang."  
  
  
Weiss laughed.  
  
  
"What?"  
  
  
"You just said the word shebang."  
  
  
Jack hung up the phone and put it away, rolling his eyes.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
So what do YOU think? Is Vaughn going to be ok? Will I continue to type after I post this? Will I   
EVER get to the point where Vaughn actually is present in all his yummy goodness?   
REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!! 


	17. The operation from hell

The Way of Seeming  
  
I own nothing. All characters belong to someone with much more money   
than me.  
  
Author's note: Hey Guys!!!! MY COMPUTER WORKS NOW!!! Still have to   
install some more stuff but I finished the story and just have to type it all up. :)  
  
Don't forget to review. They make me happy. :)   
************   
  
  
Sydney insisted on skipping to the car. "Hi ho, Hi ho, Its off to Vaughn we go. I   
love him now, I'll see him soon, Hi ho, Hi ho, Hi ho, Hi ho." She stopped and turned to   
him. "Are we there yet?"  
  
  
"Come on Sydney, get in the car," she looked about to pout, "We'll get to Vaughn   
faster if you cooperate."  
  
  
With a swiftness that scared him she jumped in the car and shut the door. "Come   
on. Let's go already."  
  
  
This is bad, Jack thought, if anyone in the CIA hears her, Vaughn is going to be   
one rescued CIA agent who is out of a job.  
  
  
It was with some trepidation that he called the CIA offices. "Hello? Did the clean   
up crew finish with the house before her roommates got back? Good. No traces left?   
Thank you."  
  
  
He hung up and dialed Weiss. "Is everything ready? Good. Meet us at the airstrip   
in twenty minutes with all the gear."  
  
  
Sydney started giggling in the backseat. "Airstrip's a funny word."  
  
  
Jack pulled the car over and turned around to look at Sydney. "I need you to listen   
to me carefully. We are going to be in an area with many CIA agents. While we are there   
you can not proclaim your love for Vaughn, or sing songs about him or, to be safe, talk   
about him at all."  
  
  
"Why?"  
  
  
"Because if you do they will make sure that the two of you never see each other   
again."  
  
  
"But I love him!"  
  
  
Jack took a deep breath. This entire situation was revealing more than he ever   
wanted to know about their relationship. "Then you have to be quiet."  
  
  
Sydney nodded seriously. "Ok."  
  
  
Jack breathed a sigh of relief and resumed driving.  
  
  
When they reached the airstrip entrance Sydney abruptly ended the, semi-normal,   
conversation they had been having. "Quiet now," she whispered.  
  
  
They met Weiss and boarded the plane silently, Sydney never saying a word.  
  
  
The plane took off with no problems, and soon they were on their way to Taipei.  
  
  
Jack and Weiss studied the plans of the building and all the other information he   
had bright.  
  
  
Weiss looked on edge. "Can't we just explain things to them? I mean, this is very   
illegal. We're going to break a prisoner out of CIA custody."  
  
  
"Do you want him to be brought up on drug charges? Because if he is he'll be   
convicted. You didn't hear him, he was definitely on drugs. When he's convicted he'll be   
promptly fired from the CIA. He won't be able to get a job. His life will be ruined. Is that   
what you want?"  
  
  
Weiss shook his head. "How do we do this?"  
  
  
They went on planning and figured out what op tech they had to work with.  
  
  
Sydney was asleep, curled into a ball, next to one of the crates.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
************  
  
  
The plane landed with a thud and Sydney's eyes snapped open.  
  
  
When she saw no one else looked worried she sat up and stretched her arms over   
her head. "Are we THERE yet?"  
  
  
The two men pointedly ignored this. They finally stood up and each grabbed a   
large black backpack as the plane rolled to a stop.  
  
  
Jack motioned for Weiss to get off the plane then walked over and knelt in front   
of Sydney. "Sydney. You have to stay in the plane until we get back."  
  
  
"No. I don't wanna stay here. Wanna see Vaughn."  
  
  
"We'll bring him back here. You can see him then."  
  
  
"N-" for a single moment Sydney's rational side broke free of the confines of her   
drug-induced haze. Agree with him, it whispered. "Ok."  
  
  
"Ok?" Jack asked.  
  
  
Sydney nodded. "I'll stay here."  
  
  
Jack nodded. "Good." He grabbed his bag and jogged to catch up with Weiss.  
  
  
Sydney waited until they were out of sight and then sat down on one of the crates   
to think.  
  
  
She unconsciously rubbed at her still sore ribs. Something was wrong, she knew   
it. Her head was all fuzzy, she couldn't think straight. The drugs, she thought right before   
they regrouped, the fuzziness once again overtaking her brain.   
  
  
She sat back on the crate, leaning on her hands and swinging her feet back and   
forth.  
  
  
  
  
************  
  
  
The two CIA agents that had been assigned the simple task of escorting one   
"agent" to his cell were at a loss.  
  
  
He had freaked out and pulled away from them with super human strength. Then   
he had fled, right out the front door.  
  
  
The agents stood staring at the door. The one on the right hit his comrade on the   
arm. "Told ya we should have gone the other way."  
  
  
"Shut up." They turned from the door and headed back to report to their superior   
officer about the six crazy men with guns and knives who had burst in and grabbed their   
charge. And despite their valiant efforts to follow them, the men had escaped.  
  
  
  
  
***********  
  
  
Jack and Weiss crouched in a darkened alleyway.  
  
  
"We'll go in through the sewers. They lead up to the basement offices. Then we'll   
break into one of the offices and use the computer to disable the security system. I'll set   
off an alarm in another part of the complex. When the guards rush out you'll get into the   
cellblock and release Vaughn. We'll meet up back by the sewer entrance and then we're   
out."  
  
  
Weiss was nodding. "Ok. Got it."  
  
  
"Vaughn!"  
  
  
"Sydney!"  
  
  
The faint calls drew their attention and they moved quickly yet silently to the   
mouth of the alley.  
  
  
They stood dumbfounded as Sydney and Vaughn embraced, both giggling like   
school children. It was the kiss that finally jolted the two men into action. They tore   
across the street and ripped the two apart.  
  
  
Jack held onto Vaughn tightly as he stumbled. He couldn't seem to get his one leg   
steady under him.  
  
  
Jack looked down, seeing the bandages on his thigh, and slung Vaughn's arm   
over his shoulders, holding him up.   
  
  
Weiss looked panicked, seeing Vaughn stumble and still trying to hold onto an   
injured, wiggling Sydney Bristow.  
  
  
"Is he ok?"  
  
  
"His leg is bandaged. Looks like he has been shot. We need to get back to the   
plane."  
  
  
Weiss nodded and whispered something in Sydney's ear, wincing as she stopped   
wiggling and started nodding empathically.  
  
  
He let go of her and went over to Vaughn, putting his other arm around his   
shoulders. They started walking forward, Sydney following closely behind, skipping.  
  
  
The trip to the plane took forever and yet no time. The pilot waited only until they   
were in the plane and then started off right away.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
So what do YOU think? Is Vaughn going to be ok? Will I continue to type after I post   
this? Will I EVER get to the point where Vaughn actually is present in all his yummy   
goodness?   
  
  
REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!! 'Cause the absolutely best part comes after this one. :) 


	18. The morning after

The Way of Seeming  
  
I own nothing. All characters belong to someone with much more money   
than me.  
  
Author's note: Hey Guys!!!! MY COMPUTER WORKS NOW!!! Still have to   
install some more stuff but I finished the story and just have to type it all up. :)  
  
Don't forget to review. They make me happy. :)   
  
Here is the awesome chapter as promised. Enjoy.   
************   
  
  
Everything was spinning. The darkness was settled firmly over her. As she   
struggled back to consciousness she felt a solid warmth beneath her.  
  
  
She tentatively reached out her hand, feeling the rough texture of newly sown   
stitches beneath her fingers, surrounded by a warm, strong, muscular leg.  
  
  
She tried to open her eyes, but her first attempt failing, she relaxed back into the   
comfy darkness and simply enjoyed the feeling of bare, warm skin against her own.  
  
  
  
Even in her own state of half-awareness she could not mistake the movement   
from beneath her.  
  
  
She felt a hand move down her back, finally resting on the small of her back.  
  
  
She couldn't help the contented sigh that escaped her lips as her eyes fluttered   
open. Her eyes met pure green perfection, and then everything came crashing down   
around her.  
  
  
She rolled away and pulled the sheet up to cover her bare chest, suddenly very   
grateful that she had only been draped over his chest instead of laying fully on top of him.  
  
  
She could see him out of the corner of her eye pulling the cover over his lap   
before she pulled her eyes away from his naked body, glistening with sweat as hers was.  
  
  
"Oh God," Sydney whispered.  
  
  
Vaughn shot her a quick look from beneath lowered lashes before looking away,   
looking hurt. Sydney was too panicked to even notice.  
  
  
"Oh God. What have we done? What happened to us?"  
  
  
Vaughn shrugged as he continued to look at the floor. Spotting his boxers he   
leaned down and grabbed them, slipping them on underneath the covers.  
Sydney was distracted, mumbling to herself, clutching the sheet to her chest.  
He slipped out of the bed, and finding the rest of his clothes he dressed quickly.   
He found her clothes, her shirt all the way across the room, and tossed them onto the bed,   
escaping into the bathroom to give her some privacy, and to try and stop himself from   
screaming.  
  
  
He had never taken drugs, never even thought about it. Then he meets Sydney   
Bristow and is being captured, tortured, pumped full of drugs, arrested, shot, and the list   
just kept going.  
  
  
And he wouldn't trade one second of it. He looked at himself in the mirror,   
unshaven, weary and bloodshot eyes, and her words came back to him. 'Oh God. What   
have we done?' Those words made his heart ache. He didn't regret it, didn't regret   
anything. He shook his head at himself, masochist.   
  
  
He slowly opened the door and saw she was dressed, standing awkwardly by the   
window.  
  
  
She looked at him. "Do you remember what happened last night? What..." she   
trailed off, her eyes darting for only a second to the tousled bed. He saw in her eyes,   
those beautiful eyes, that she remembered nothing. Those eyes pleaded with him to give   
her some explanation, something other than the fact that she had just had sex with her   
handler.  
  
  
He couldn't do that. Couldn't pretend it was something else, something innocent.   
All he could do was."No. It's a total blank. I remember Weiss giving me tranquilizers,"   
Sydney's nod confirmed that she remembered the same, "then.nothing." He shook his   
head as if to clear it. "They must have reacted with the drugs. Caused a...a blackout."  
  
  
Sydney nodded. "Yeah." She looked at him, but refused to meet his eyes.   
"So...this..."  
  
  
It was killing him. He didn't want to, he couldn't- "What this?" he said and   
walked out of the room, leaving Sydney behind as she fell against the window and sighed   
in relief.  
  
  
  
  
  
I know. I'm evil. Total cliffhanger with sad Vaughn. I'm just a horrible person.  
So what do YOU think? Will I continue to type after I post this? Will everything end in a horrible mess?  
  
  
  
  
REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!! So little story left. Take the chance now. 


	19. Damage Control

The Way of Seeming  
  
I own nothing. All characters belong to someone with much more money   
than me.  
  
Author's note: Hey Guys!!!! MY COMPUTER WORKS NOW!!! Still have to   
install some more stuff but I finished the story and just have to type it all up. :)  
  
Don't forget to review. They make me happy. :)   
  
Only seven pages left to type.  
************   
  
  
Vaughn stormed over to Weiss's apartment. He stood there pounding on the door   
for a minute before Weiss finally opened it. He was bleary-eyed and had obviously just   
woken up.  
  
  
"What?"  
  
  
Vaughn pushed past him and walked into the kitchen, pacing back and forth over   
the blue tiled floor.   
  
  
For Eric it finally clicked. Michael Vaughn was in his kitchen looking pissed. He   
walked to the doorway of the kitchen and stayed there, trying to make his brain function.   
"How are you awake? Those tranquilizers were enough to knock you out for...you   
shouldn't wake up for another six hours."  
  
  
Vaughn spun to face him. "Someone is pumped full of a stimulant, then you give   
them a depressant and expect it to take full effect?"  
  
  
"How long have you been awake?"   
  
  
Vaughn shook his head. "Not the question you should be asking. You should be   
asking how long WE have been awake, together, in the same hotel room."  
  
  
Eric turned white, all the blood draining from his face, leaving him looking half   
dead. "What did...?" He couldn't make himself finish the question.  
  
  
Vaughn turned away from him before answering. "If you ask her? Nothing. It's a   
total blank." He paused. "Apparently she had more drugs in her system so it took until   
this morning to counteract all their effects."  
  
  
Eric let out the breath he had been holding. "So everything's ok? Nothing   
happened?"  
  
  
Vaughn gave a short, humorless laugh. "Yeah. Nothing happened. Except it's   
kind of hard to ignore the fact that we both woke up with no clothes on, with her laying   
on top of me."  
  
  
Weiss now looked panicked. "Jack is going to kill me. I told him there was no   
way either of you would wake up in the same room together. We just needed somewhere   
to put you guys that wouldn't warrant any questions."  
  
  
Vaughn was silent for a moment before jumping into action. "Ok. Damage   
control. Call Jack. Tell him you went to the hotel a few hours ago. You woke me up,   
groggy and uncoordinated as I was, and brought me to your apartment because you   
realized that the effects of the drugs might counteract each other. Then suggest he go get   
Sydney, see if she's up yet, since she had more drugs in her system to start out with."  
  
  
Eric shook his head. "What good is that going to do?"  
  
  
Vaughn leaned back against the counter. "I think she was still really out of it   
when I left. This will give her an excuse to believe she dreamed the entire thing, waking   
up with me and all."  
  
  
"Mike-"  
  
  
"The I just have to spend the rest of my life acting like it never happened and   
everything will be fine." He slid down until he was sitting on the floor with his head   
resting on his knees.  
  
  
Eric walked over and sat down next to him. " You said she didn't remember   
anything. But what about you?"  
  
  
Vaughn refused to look up. "I was back to normal. I thought she was-" he   
swallowed, "It doesn't matter. None of it matters. It never happened." He was silent for a   
moment. "I've ruined everything."  
  
  
There was nothing Eric could say to that. He got up slowly and moved into the   
living room to call Jack.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
I know. I'm evil. Awwwwwwww. Sad Vaughn makes me sad. I'm just a horrible person.  
So what do YOU think? Will I continue to type after I post this?   
  
  
  
  
  
  
REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!! So little story left. Only one more chapter, so take the   
chance now. 


	20. The Warehouse

The Way of Seeming  
  
I own nothing. All characters belong to someone with much more money   
than me.  
  
Author's note: Hey Guys!!!! MY COMPUTER WORKS NOW!!! Still have to   
install some more stuff but I finished the story and just have to type it all up. :)  
  
  
  
  
Author's note two: This is so not where I saw the story going, and I probably   
could have kept going with it but I decided that this seemed like the place it needed to   
end. Hope you've enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it.   
Don't forget to review. They make me happy. :)   
  
  
  
  
And now the conclusion...  
  
  
  
************   
  
  
  
  
She had bought it, all of it. Things went back to normal, or as normal as things   
could be for them. They met in the warehouse, like two clandestine lovers, only with little   
or no physical contact.  
  
  
She had even begun to confide in him again. How weird it was for Will to know   
she worked for the CIA, how even with her father's cover story Francie had been   
suspicious. She had started asking more and more questions about Sydney's trips, about   
her life. She was going to find out soon, Vaughn was sure of it.  
  
  
Sloane had accepted the story of her disappearance, but she had three guys from   
security section always following her now, and it was starting to make her jumpy.  
  
  
Vaughn listened to all of this, giving advice, making plans, and cracking jokes   
when needed, always keeping his desires below the surface, ignoring the dreams that   
haunted him late at night. The dreams of a normal guy and a normal girl. Dreams of the   
two of them, together, happy, and finally free of this life of intrigue and death.  
  
  
There he was again, sitting on the table in the warehouse, waiting for Sydney to   
arrive. Another mission, another counter mission, another sleepless night for him as he   
worried about her.  
  
  
She walked in wearing a tank top, shorts, and sneakers. Another jogging excuse to   
get away. He steeled himself for a long meeting. Everything seemed to take longer when   
that much creamy, white, delicious skin was exposed.  
  
  
He held back a sigh and looked up to meet her eyes.  
  
  
She walked over to him slowly, like a hunter stalking its prey. He sat there,   
frozen.  
  
  
She pushed his legs apart, placing herself between them, stomach against the edge   
of the table.  
  
  
He looked, startled, into her eyes. "Sydney? What-"  
  
  
She cut him off with a finger on his lips. "Did you know that lost memories can   
sometimes return in the form of dreams." She ran a hand up his thigh. "Very, very good   
dreams." She looked up into his panicked eyes. "Someone's been a bad boy." She ran a   
hand through his hair, resting on the back of his neck and pulling him down for a searing   
kiss.   
  
  
When she released him he had an enormous goofy grin on his face. Her face   
mirroring his.  
  
  
He bent down, capturing her lips with his own, determined to ignore and demands   
for oxygen, to make this one kiss last an eternity. Her arms around his neck promised the   
same.  
  
  
His dreams came back to him, and every cell in his body seemed to smile.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
THE END  
  
  
  
  
  
Awwwwwwww. Happy Vaughn makes me happy.   
  
  
  
So what do YOU think?   
  
  
  
REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!! My first fan fiction every completed. Tell me what you   
think. Should I rethink my career choice? 


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